No Decision In Hampton Discrimination Suit

NEWPORT NEWS — An eight-member federal jury heard closing arguments in a Hampton firefighter's reverse-discrimination lawsuit Thursday and deliberated for several hours before calling it a night.

The six women and two men on the jury will return today to continue deliberations on whether the city, through Fire Chief Greg Cade, discriminated against veteran firefighter Tom Richardson by not promoting him to lieutenant.

Carolyn Carpenter, a Richmond attorney representing Richardson, told jurors in her final argument that Richardson was not promoted because he was a white male. Further, Cade was under political pressure to hire and promote minorities in the Fire Department, Carpenter said.

Cade promoted three blacks and a woman in 1994 - all of whom ranked below Richardson in a competitive promotion process completed a year earlier.

Stanley Barr, attorney with Kaufman and Canoles, the firm defending the city, told the jury they had one question to consider - whether Richardson was denied promotion because of his race and gender. Barr claimed Richardson presented no evidence to prove discrimination.

To the contrary, Barr argued Richardson was not promoted because he was not as committed to the Hampton Fire Department as those who were ranked below him. He said it was entirely within Cade's power to use discretion in promoting.